all characters belong to JKR

Day Three

Monday Morning 6:30 am:

Hermione woke up with a feeling of foreboding. She had nightmares all night long, about what she saw in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor. She also felt bad about the fight she had with Draco. It was an unfounded fight and she picked it with him to take her mind off what happened earlier in the day. She did not appreciate the fact that he just dismissed her feelings about what happened. He wasn't there. He didn't see the things she saw or experience the things she experienced. He didn't know how real it felt. How did he even survive to adulthood growing up in that hellhole?

She woke up and took a shower. She assumed Draco was still asleep on the couch. She didn't care if he ever woke up. Let him sleep his life away, the stupid prat. She showered, dressed, and fed the cat, then decided to get some coffee at the coffee shop near the Ministry. As she was walking out the door, she saw Draco leaving the bathroom. He looked at her and smiled. Did he not know she was still angry with him?

She turned back around, shut the door again, and walked up to him, looking somber and grave. For a moment, he was afraid. He half expected her to slap him. She had a nasty history of that sort of thing. Instead, she walked right up to him, dropped her satchel of the floor, and put both arms around his neck. She hugged him tight. He kept his arms to his side. He was afraid to hug her back.

She put her lips on his and he sucked his breath in sharply. The warmth and love emitting from her was warming him inside and made him smile with anticipation. She loved him. She stepped back, and said, "I love you, Malfoy."

He smiled again and said, "That's good to know, Granger."

Then she smiled, and said, "The appropriate response would be, I love you, too."

"I don't want you to get a big head. I want to keep you grounded and all," he told her. She turned from him to pick up her satchel and all of the sudden he grabbed her by the waist, and dipped her as if they were dancing, and he kissed her hard. The heat from his kiss spread through her like molten lava, and made her heart race. He brought her back to a standing position, and cupped her cheeks, stroking them with his thumbs. She licked her lips and he smiled at her seductively. As their gazes locked, he leaned in for another kiss. He could never tire of her. He could kiss her all day, everyday. Just as their kiss was building in crescendo, he pulled away and said, "I thought you were taking this week off work."

She pulled away from him and said, "I really don't know how your mind works. Here we were, kissing and having a grand old time, and then you ask me about work. Were you even paying attention to what we were just doing?"

"Unlike you, I can multi-task," he stated, "anyway, 'little Draco' was paying enough attention for both of us."

"I do wish you would stop referring to that part of your anatomy as 'little Draco'," she said infuriated.

"You were the one that named him." He laughed.

"No I didn't!" she argued.

"That day we apparated into the men's room, you told me not to pull 'little Draco' out with you in there," he recalled.

"I don't remember that," she said as she turned to leave, even though she did recall saying that.

"Yes well, you seem to conveniently have selective memory whenever it benefits you. Now, before you leave, tell me why you're going into work today," he casually commented.

"'m just going to go in and finish up a few things, and then tell Scott that I need to take a couple weeks off, okay?" she answered. Then she added, "Can you meet me for lunch?"

"Nope," he answered cheerfully, "I'm meeting Blaise and Theo, and we're planning my bachelor party, and then the rest of the day will be busy with invitations, and the like. By the way, owl a list to me of all the little people would like to honour by inviting them to our wedding." He then turned around and walked into the bathroom. Hermione took that as her cue to leave.

When she arrived at the coffee shop, Harry was there. He waved at her, and since he was already in line, he motioned for her to get a table, and he ordered for both of them. When he came to the table, he asked about her weekend. Where should she begin? She told him about 'Edgewood' and about what happened in the dungeons at Malfoy Manor. Harry had an infuriated expression on his face. Unable to mask his anger, he told Hermione that he had experienced too many strange things in his life not to take the things she saw seriously, and maybe she should not just dismiss the visions that she had. Hermione knew Harry would probably tell her anything to get her not to marry Malfoy, but she told him she would take what he said into consideration. They walked to the Ministry and went their respected ways.

She walked to Scott's Office (which was Draco's old office), and knocked on the door before she opened it a bit, so he could see it was she. "Come in, Hermione," Scott said. He opened the door the rest of the way for her, and gave her a small kiss on the cheek. "My wife and I had fun at your little engagement party Saturday night," he explained.

"That's good. Listen, Scott, because Draco and I are getting married in less than a week, I was going to ask you for this week off, and next week as well, for the honeymoon, you know," she started.

"Of course, take all the time you need," he told her.

"Well, the thing is, I've been thinking, and I feel that now may be the best time to turn in my resignation. I've not even discussed this with Draco yet, but this was never my dream, to work at the Ministry, and I just think it's time to do what I want with my life. I mean, I love working here, so please don't take this the wrong way," she hastened to add.

Scott laughed and said, "Hermione, that's fine. I was surprised you stayed here once Draco left anyway. Well, more to the point, I'm surprised he left after you came, especially when he worked so long and hard to get you in this department. You know, the only reason he even came to work at the Ministry was because of you."

He now had Hermione's undivided attention, and she sat down in a chair across from his desk. "Do explain," she said.

He went to sit down as well, and he put his hands on top of his desk and said, "You know, he swore me to secrecy, but since you're engaged now, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you." Scott got back up and came over to sit in the chair beside her. "Do you know how Draco and I met?" Scott asked her.

"No. I always assumed it was here at work," she stated obviously.

"No, we knew each other before that. I was one of his instructors at Uni. Shortly after he got his Potion's Degree, I had gotten a job at the Ministry. Well, after a year here, I was up for a promotion. In fact, the promotion was the job I have now, as Director of the department."

Hermione leaned back in her chair and asked, "Well, then how did Draco get the job over you?"

"Well, that's the secret part, and something I'm not overly proud to admit. See, I had some gambling debts, I'm afraid to say, also, my wife and I were going through a rough patch. This job would have meant more money, and more time at home. At the time, I was a field researcher, and was gone a lot. This was around the time that you started at the Ministry." Scott paused, and then continued.

"Draco came to see me. Somehow, he had heard about the promotion. He made a deal with me. He said he had already worked it all out with Percy Weasley. He said that if I would allow him to come in as the Director of the department, that he would make me Potion's Master and that as soon as he could, he would vacate the position, and that Percy guaranteed that he would again offer me the job."

"Why would he do that?" Hermione genuinely wondered.

"For you, of course," was Scott's response.

"I don't understand," Hermione said, confused.

"All I know is, Draco offered the Ministry a big donation to the charity of their choice, and he offered me what was equal to a year's salary, if we would let him execute his plan. When I asked him why in the world he would want to do all of this, and what his plan was, he said it was to make you fall in love with him, so he could marry you."

Hermione looked beyond shocked. She stood up and said, "What are you talking about? When was this?"

"I told you, it was just right after you started working here. I assumed that he had his eye on you for a long time, and he wanted to be closer to you, and look, it all turned out in the end. You're together now!" Scott said with excitement. He stood up and said to Hermione, "If you ever want your job back, just come and see me. In addition, I hope I get an invitation to the nuptials. Good luck, Hermione, and tell Draco congratulations again from me." He kissed her cheek and ushered her to the door.

She stood frozen in the same spot, outside Scott's door, for what felt like an eternity. She was trying to process what Scott had just told her. Surely, Draco didn't go to such extremes, like taking a job he didn't want, or deserve, and give people money, just to get closer to her. None of that made any sense. She slowly walked down the hall and left the building. She honestly didn't know where to go, or what to think.

Monday, lunch with the boys:

Hermione was still very confused. Did Draco really come to work at the Ministry with the intention of dating and then marrying Hermione? That just didn't seem like something he would do, and he couldn't have planned her accepting his marriage proposal. In addition, he never really showed any kind of interest in her during, or right after, the war; and it was a known fact that he hated her during their school years. She couldn't just let this rest. She needed to know what was going on, and she needed to know it now.

Around noon, she decided to seek out Malfoy. He said he was having lunch with his friends. She had every intention of "crashing" their party, and asking Draco if there was any truth in what Scott had told her. She assumed they would be eating at Draco's favourite restaurant, so she decided to try there first. Sure enough, when she entered, she saw Blaise Zabini sitting at a table, but he was alone. She scanned the room for a blond head, and when she saw none, she decided to go and casually say "hi" to Blaise. She might ask him a question or two as well, but she told herself she mostly just wanted to say "hello." Not to say hello would be rude.

She walked up to the handsome man, and said, "Hello, Blaise, how are you?"

He gave her a sexy smile and said, "If you're looking for your worse half, he's not here yet."

"Oh, are you meeting Draco for lunch? I had no idea," she pretended.

"There's a reason you were in Gryffindor, and not Slytherin, Granger. You are horrible at deception. Have a seat," and at that he pushed the chair next to him out from under the table with his foot. What a gentleman.

She gave him a small disapproving look, and said, "No, I'll stand."

He stood up, pulled the chair out more, put his hand on the small of her back, and steered her toward the seat. "I said, have a seat, Hermione," he said again, with a small laugh. He kept his hand on her back, even after she sat and began to rub her back with his thumb, up and down. She gave him a dirty look, and he smiled and removed his hand. "So, does Draco know that you're here, Hermione?" he asked smoothly.

"No actually, he doesn't. What time are you supposed to meet him?" she wondered aloud.

"Why, do you want to make a hasten retreat before he arrives? Are we having a secret rendezvous, Granger?" He leaned over and she swore he 'smelled' her.

She pushed him away, and said, "May I ask you a question?"

"You may ask, but, I may not answer." He smiled seductively.

"How long have you known Draco?" Hermione asked.

"Since school, why?" Now he leaned back, curious as to where this line of questioning was going.

"So, you have been fairly close since school ended, as well?" Hermione inquired.

"Merlin, Granger, ask your damn question already. It's not that I don't enjoy the pleasure of your company, as you're very easy to look at, but Draco will be here soon, and I would rather you ask your question before he gets here and I have a feeling you would rather that be the case as well," Blaise retaliated.

"Okay, no beating around the bush," Hermione said. "Did Draco ever, and I mean in anyway, express any kind of interest in me after we left school, or after the war? Did he ever mention liking me, or wanting to date me, or any such thing?"

"Well gee, Granger; we aren't that close, we don't really discuss those kinds of things with each other," Blaise lied.

"So, you're telling me that he never told you he liked me or was interested in me, ever? And he never mentioned wanting to work at the Ministry because I was there?" she continued to prod.

"What is this about, Hermione?" he inquired.

"Oh, just something my boss told me. He led me to believe that Draco had plotted, or planned, whatever you want to call it; that he had intentions to marry me before he even came to work at the Ministry, and that is in fact the whole reason he even came to work there. Silly, huh?" She tried to sound nonchalant, even though that wasn't how she felt at all.

"Maybe this is something you should discuss with Malfoy. I really don't know what you're talking about, but it sounds to me like your boss is drinking firewhiskey on the job or something," Blaise said with a laugh. Feeling somewhat guilty for being less than honest with her, and with no real intention to incite an argument with her, he added, "Don't you trust Malfoy, Hermione?"

"Oh, of course, I do. I trust him, and you're right, Scott's probably confused. Well, sorry to take up any of your time." She started to get up and leave, when he put his hand on hers.

"You might as well stay and say hello to your future husband. He's about to walk up to the table right now, and by the look on his face, he's unhappy that I'm sitting so close to you with my hand on yours," Blaise teased.

Hermione looked up, Draco was definitely coming their way, with Theodore Nott right behind, and furthermore he was frowning. Hermione tried to get up once again, but this time Blaise put his arm around her shoulders. Now Hermione frowned.

"Zabini, unhand my woman. She doesn't appear to want to be touched by you," Draco said as he approached. He walked over to Hermione, and she stood up, and hugged him hello. He took her by the elbow, just out of earshot of his friends, and asked her, "What are you doing here? I thought I told you I couldn't have lunch with you today, because I was meeting my friends."

"I know. I didn't come for lunch, or to interrupt you. I just wanted to tell you something," she relayed.

"What is it?" he asked.

She really couldn't think up a lie fast enough. She didn't really want to tell him anything yet. She did have a few things she would not mind asking him, but now was not a good time, so she thought up something very quick. "I quit my job today. Is that all right?"

"Sure, Granger, did you think I would be angry?" He smiled. "That's fine with me. Now we can be a couple of good-for-nothings together. Now, run along and let me have my little lunch. We're going to plan my bachelor party. Why don't you meet with your friends and plan your little pretend bachorette party," he smirked, before adding, "Do you even have any female friends?"

"Low blow, Malfoy, yes, I have female friends, and my party is going to be just as real and wild as your party is. I guarantee that. I'll leave you alone now." She turned to leave and he kissed her cheek.

As she walked out, he stood to make sure she was really leaving. He sat down at the table and before he could ask Blaise what they were talking about, Blaise said one sentence to Draco, "She knows, Malfoy. I know she knows." Draco looked at Blaise shocked, and then looked at the retreating figure of Hermione. If she did really know why he was really marrying her, he would lose her forever.

Hermione didn't really believe Blaise. He just seemed so deceitful to her. She still had some questions so she decided to talk to someone whom she had not seen for a very long time. Charlie Weasley.

Charlie Weasley was one of the older Weasley brothers. He was already out of school before Hermione even started, and he lived in Romania when they were young, so she didn't really see him when she used to visit the Burrow. However, they had become friends during the war. He was in the Order, and when she was old enough to join, he was actually the one to train her. He was a very insightful person and someone whom she used to confide. The main reason Hermione wanted to talk to Charlie was that she knew that Charlie had also trained Draco, when he left the Death Eaters to join the Order. She knew if Draco had ever mentioned being interested in her, Charlie would probably know.

Charlie was now a professor at Hogwarts. He taught "Care of Magical Creatures." She contacted Charlie as soon as she got home, and asked if he could meet her. He told her to meet him at the Three Broomsticks at 2 pm.

Monday, 2pm:

Hermione arrived at the pub just as Charlie was walking in the door. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. "Hey, what's this I hear about you getting married to Malfoy of all people?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"Well, Charlie, that's kind of why I'm here. Let's sit down; I need to ask you some questions." She told him everything Scott had told her, about how Draco bought his way into his position at the Ministry, and how he did it just to be near her, and how he had told Scott that he was going to marry Hermione before they had even started dating. "Did he ever show any interest in me during the years with the Order, or directly after the war? I mean, if he were close to anyone, it would have been you. So, did he ever say he fancied me back then?"

Charlie just looked at her for a moment, and then said, "Do you love him?"

"Well, yes, but that doesn't answer my question," she said.

"Hermione, maybe some questions are best left unanswered," he said gravely.

"Do you know something?" She seemed concerned.

"I might know something, but it's not my place to say. I will say one thing, I'm sure his intentions are now true, even if maybe they weren't always. That's all I wish to say about this." He ordered them some butterbeers, and then took her hands into his and said, "I know that's not the answers you seek, but anything else must come from him." He kissed her fingers and then laid her hands back on the table.

"But, can't you just tell me if he ever seemed interested in me back in the day?" she pleaded.

"Fine, I guess I can tell you that. The answer as far as I could tell, would be no, he never seemed particularly interested in you, but then again, he never really opened up to me that much," Charlie said, and then took a drink. He knew Hermione, and he knew she would not be appeased. He expected her to keep digging until she got the answers she wanted and he knew if she got those answers, she wouldn't be happy.

"Charlie, you must tell me if you know something more," Hermione begged.

"Listen, I will say one more thing, and then this is honestly the end of what I'll reveal. All pureblood wizards, of which you know I'm also one, had to adhere to special regulations and sanctions after the war, to assure that something like the rise of Voldemort and the Death Eaters could never happen again. While I can't tell you what the regulations are, because I signed a wizard's oath with the Ministry, I can tell you that Malfoy must have had to adhere to the same regulations and therefore the same possible sanctions as the rest of us. I'm sure he also had to agree to a wizard oath of confidentiality. While this probably confuses you more than helps you, this is all I can really say." When Charlie stopped with his explanation, he added one thing, "Let this go and be happy. I know he loves you, and I can tell you love him. Whatever this is, it has nothing to do with you getting married, and I know that for sure. You both deserve happiness."

They sat for a while longer, and Hermione tried to make small talk, but the cogs in her head were spinning faster than ever. What in the world, was Charlie trying to tell her? Instead of helping clear things up for her, now she was more confused than ever.

Monday evening:

Draco arrived back to the flat around 6:15 pm. It was snowing outside, and he shook his head to shake out all the snowflakes that had come to rest there. He had found an Officiate to oversee the wedding, he had sent out all the invitations today and his friends had planned his bachelor party. He even talked to Potter's wife about planning Hermione's bachelorette party. He felt he had accomplished quite a bit to be sure. He was somewhat concerned since Hermione had never given him her guests list, so he could only hope that he invited everyone that she would want to invite.

He walked into the dark living room and threw his coat on a chair. The snow outside created an eerie glow in the room. He yelled out, "Granger, are you home?" as he turned on the lights in the room. Before she could make her presence known, he saw her sitting in the same chair he had just thrown his coat. He laughed and took it off her head. "Sorry, Granger, that's what you get for sitting in the dark. By the way, why are you sitting in the dark?" he asked. She was still in her coat and hat, and he had a funny feeling she had probably been home for quite a while.

"Is it snowing? Your coat is wet," she stated as he lifted his coat from her body.

"A little bit. You seem pensive. Now tell me, what are you doing sitting in the dark?" He kneeled beside her chair, and took her hat off her head. Her hair went everywhere, and he laughed and started to smooth it down with his hands. He was trying to keep the mood light, but down deep, he was scared. He was anxious that maybe Blaise was right, and somehow she really did know the truth.

He pulled her to a standing position and unbuttoned her coat. He pulled it off her pliant small frame, and then took both their coats and hung them in the hall. When he stepped back in the living room, she was again sitting in the chair. "I got home a couple of hours ago. I just sat down, and I guess I haven't moved since. I just sat here until the darkness enveloped me. I had to think about some things," she tried to clarify. He walked over to her again and forced her to stand. He was alarmed, but he wouldn't let her know that. "Scott told me some interesting things today, Malfoy," she told him, without looking at him. She had yet to look at him.

He put his hand under her chin, and forced her to look in his eyes. "What interesting things did he tell you?" he asked. As he looked into her eyes, he kept thinking repeatedly…. 'I love you Hermione, I love you Hermione."

"Why are you marrying me? And don't say, because it's what you want," Hermione pleaded.

"But, that's the reason, and the fact that I love you. Are you having second thought again?" he asked out of apprehension.

"That's not what we're talking about, Draco," she said with a slight rise to her voice.

He stepped away from her, and said, "Well, tell me what the hell we're talking about then, so I can catch up!"

"Fine!" she yelled back. "Why did you start working at the Ministry? It certainly wasn't for the money. Why would they start you out as the Director of the department, when there were more qualified Wizards for the job? Why wouldn't they have started you in an entry level position?"

"You didn't start in our department in an entry level position," he argued. "What the hell did Cohn say to you today?"

"He said that you only wanted to work at the Ministry to be close to me. He said that you paid off both the Ministry and him to get the job as Director, and that you had planned to make me work for you, long before I did that wonderful job of solving that little hex problem for you. He also said that you told him you were going to marry me before we started dating. How would you know that? How did you know I would marry you, before I even dated you?" She was so angry that she was speaking fast and shaking, though she had not yet moved one muscle from the spot she was standing. Then she added, "Was this your plan from the beginning? To make me date you, then shag you, and then marry you? Was it a bet, or a dare, or something the Ministry made you do? Did it even matter whom you dated and married? Or was I just the most convenient?"

Draco stood back from her for a second, and he became angry as well, even though he knew he had no right and she had every right. "Wow, Granger, what an inflated ego you have. Yes, this was all just an evil plan, a plot to bang you, and then bag you. Yes, I have even money riding on this whole thing. It's nothing but a bet, or a dare, or maybe just a ploy to play with a Mudblood's head. Even if you really think so little of me, do you think that little of yourself?"

"But Scott said…" she began.

Draco rushed up to her, grabbed her by both her arms, and shook her soundly. "I don't give a shite what Scott said. I don't know what the hell he's talking about, but I'm sure to find out! I'll admit that I was interested in you for along time, but then that's something I had already admitted, and maybe I admitted this to Scott, but I certainly didn't play you. I couldn't play you if I wanted. I also already admitted to you that I wanted to marry you after our first date, so that must be what he is referring. If I didn't love you, I wouldn't have asked you to marry me, and if you didn't love me, you wouldn't have said yes. The end!"

Draco was still holding her by her arms, and he was still very angry. More so than she had seen him in a long while. She thought he was angry with her, but in reality, he was angry with Scott Cohn. If the man had been there at that moment, Draco would probably have killed him with his bare hands.

"I don't know what to believe. I tried to talk to Charlie Weasley today, but he confused me more, and I know Blaise was withholding information from me. I just want to make sure your intentions are what they seem, Draco. I guess I have always been curious as to why someone like you would want to be with someone like me. If you promise me that your intentions are as you say they are, then I'll believe you, and not pursue this, but listen carefully, Malfoy, if I find that you have lied to me in anyway, then we are over. I have to be able to trust you," she said. She looked defeated. Draco didn't want her defeated, but he didn't want her to ask any more questions.

It really didn't matter why Draco originally went to work at the Ministry, because the important thing was that he loved her and he truly wanted to be with her forever. Even if she decided she didn't want to marry him, he would still want to be with her. That was something that he would not have thought possible before, but he now knew was the truth.

He wrapped her in his arms, and said, "We can't fight like this everyday, Hermione. You need to stop worrying about every little thing. Just trust me. I love you, and I won't ever hurt you." As he told her these things, he really did mean every word.

Hermione was tired. She didn't want to fight anymore. She wanted to trust Draco. She wanted to believe that he loved her and wanted to marry her, and with only good intentions. If he said his love for her was true, and that he wasn't lying, she would believe him.

"I won't ask you about this again, Malfoy. You promised me that you're telling the truth, and I believe you. I'm just worried about everything. I'm sorry," she said. She looked up at him, and he kissed her lips.

They stood in the middle of the living room, wrapped in each other's arms, with the snow gently falling outside. A moment like that was when he felt his life was perfect. The times just like this. He had a small smile spread across his face. However, that smile was a sad façade. Inside, he had a deep dark cloud that was forming and was sure never to dissipate. He loved her and that was all that mattered. No good would ever come from her knowing the whole truth, and that blasted Scott didn't even know the whole truth so he could never tell her either. The only ones who knew the truth were sworn by a wizard's oath to secrecy, so Hermione would never have to know the real reason he was marrying her. She must never know. To justify that, he again told himself that it didn't matter, because he really did love her, and would have married her anyway.

He continued to hold her, and he cursed the fact that he was born a pureblood and she was born a Muggle-born. They wasted so many years. They could have found happiness so much sooner. She smiled up at him, and he smiled back.

"Do you want to get naked?" he joked. He needed to lighten the mood.

"You're incorrigible," she said while slapping his arm. Truthfully, she was tired of not believing him. She just wanted everything to be as it was. He was being funny, charming, and what was wrong with that? "Incorrigible, but adorable," she added.

"I am being serious, you know. I am desperate to make love to you." He bent down and nibbled on her jaw, while removing her cardigan. He moved his mouth down to her collarbone, and her hands went under his shirt and sweater, and stroked his back, up and down.

He pulled his jumper off and kicked off his shoes and socks. He pulled her back to him and walked them over to the couch. He fell backward, and she let out a little squeal. With her on top of him, she could feel his want for her. He reached up and pulled her shirt off. While he was still reclined, she straddled him, and removed her bra. She bent back down and kissed him hard and long. He would never get sick of her, or making love to her.

His heart was pounding so hard, he thought it might pound out of his chest. He wanted to make love to her so much. He knew if she wanted to make love to him as well, then everything was good between them again. She wrapped one arm around his neck, and she stroked him through his pants with the other. His breath became more and more ragged. She kissed him down his neck, his chest, and both nipples. She made him want to explode.

She kissed down farther, and kissed his stomach. She stood up and removed the rest of her clothes. She sat back on the couch and unbuckled his belt. She undid his fly and started to massage him with a slow rhythm that was both urgent and patient. What was she doing to him? She removed his pants and then pulled down his boxers. He felt as if he was mesmerized, and he couldn't move. She had never taken the initiative during sex before. Every nerve ending in his body was alive and screaming out for her touch.

She took his throbbing member in her hand, and started to dip her head. NO! He thought. He grabbed her by the shoulders, and said, "No, I don't want you to do that!"

She looked confused, and said, "But, you said you did."

'Help me!' he thought. Not only did he deceive the poor girl, now he made her feel guilty about the fact that she wouldn't perform oral sex on him. He sat up, and said, "I don't want you to do something you don't want to do," and then, before she could respond, and say whether it was something she wanted to do or did not want to do, he jerked her to him and kissed her with all the passion he felt. He stood up, lifted her to him, and carried her to their bedroom. He needed to feel her touch, to undo the guilt he felt about not telling her the real reason why he originally wanted to marry her.

He put her on the bed and crawled beside her. He lifted one hand, and hesitantly, almost like it was the first time he had ever touched her, he lifted one breast and put his mouth on her nipple. She moaned and arched toward his touch. She needed him hard and inside her and she needed it now. He put his mouth on the other breast, and heard her moan again. That was what he wanted. He wanted her to want him. He rolled the nipple with his tongue, and she cried out his name.

He brushed his fingers between her legs and sought out the prize that would be sure to make her cry out for more. He was dying to taste her on his tongue, but not yet. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and he knew he would die before hurting her.

He ran his long finger down her cleft, and she shivered. She was wet and ready, and so soft to his touch. He dipped his finger inside, just to see what pleasure he could provoke. He teased her until her hips were bucking under him, and she started to scream. He rested his body between her legs, and it was then that he replaced his finger with his mouth, and she let out an audible gasp. "No, no, no," she was panting.

'Yes, Yes, Yes,' he thought. He continued torturing her until she started her orgasm, and then at last he climbed back up her body, raised himself on his elbows and entered her. He almost impaled her. He felt he was going to come immediately, but he held on. He didn't want it to end so soon. She held on to his shoulders, and he started to pull out of her, only to push back in. The hardness of him contrasting with the softness of her made Draco feel closer to sheer ecstasy than he had ever felt with anyone his entire life.

She was his, completely. She screamed out his name once more, and pulled hard on his shoulders. He knew the signs, and his release came fast and furious. He dropped his entire weight on her body. He didn't mean to, but he honestly couldn't move at that moment, even if he wanted to. Her spasms subsided and so did his. He rolled off her and pulled her tightly to him. "You're mine, you're all mine. You belong to me. I love you so much," he said breathlessly.

She couldn't talk. She looked up to his face, and cupped his cheek with her hand. She leaned up and gave him a lingering kiss on the mouth. She kissed him passionately, and her kiss almost seemed like it was trying to tell him something. He almost felt like that one kiss was telling him goodbye. He was so afraid of losing her. He was just imagining things. She was not going anywhere. He held her, and with his body next to hers he finally said, "Please, say something."

"I love you," she said. That was all he needed to know.

(End of day 3)